Jump to content

Featured Replies

1 minute ago, Matsuo Basho said:

We could debate this back and forth forever. The key point is that we did not have to pay Adelaide’s ambit asking price for Lever because we had the whip hand in negotiations. He was out of contract! To cave in on day two of trade week the way we did was an absolute disgrace. Weak, overly generous, amateur hour trading.

Played for the suckers we are.

I agree and I argued that at the time. But the Shiel and Wingard deals dragged on and they eventually coughed up. Pick 10 was never going to be enough. Teams miss with top 10 selections all the time. To just hand over 10 for a very good player wasn't right. It was always going to be 10 and something. In the end it was 10 and a trade back from 19 to 35 a year earlier. That wasn't really a list altering move.

Our biggest list failings right now are:
1. Failing to recruit good outside mids.

I like Baker and Fritsch, but it's too much too soon for them right now. Vanders is injured. KK is injured/no good. Corey Wagner is ordinary. JKH injured and not much chop.

2. Failing to recruit good small/medium forwards:

Spargo is having 2nd year blues, he's not great but might not be terrible, certainly wasn't last year. Hannan injured and recently back. JKH as above. Garlett gone. Dion Johnstone a failure. Bedford/Chandler very young. Corey Wagner see above. Hunt just ok. Joel Smith injured. ANB yuck. Lockhart promising but early days.

I expect we'll make some moves to get improvement there. I don't expect huge drastic changes in the other positions.

 
24 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Wingard and future 3rd for Burton (pick 19 - first rounder), pick 15, pick 35 and a future 4th.

That's clearly more than the Lever deal which was picks 10 and 19 for Lever and 35. I didn't love the Lever trade and wanted less on the downgrade to pick 35 but winning plenty of games last year and making it pick 19 made it a good deal. Good recruiters - which is what you want the club to have - should be able to find similar hit rates at 19 or 35 and Lever for 10 is a steal.

Lever is meant to be an elite intercept marking defender, a player just as valuable as a gun midfielder. If you think Sicily or Darcy Moore aren't as valuable as a gun midfielder then you haven't been watching many games recently. Yet alone the dream of what Lever could become if developed well - a McGovern level force that teams have to tag. 

Shiel and Treloar both have breakaway pace but absolutely butcher the ball. They are players a good midfield team can counter. 

Wingard would rather play playstation than AFL football. 

We are due for a rebuild: Of our fitness department and assistant coaches, not of trading out a bunch of players.

Those 2 first rounders ended up being Lachie O'Brien and Liam Stocker.

Lever > O'Brien/Stocker

Some will argue otherwise, of course.

  • Author

Let’s be honest. It is likely we will finish bottom 2. So we will be able to bring in Anderson.

Trade in our 2020 pick for another top 10 pick, look to draft a Young or even a Gould with it.

Trade out our 2nd rounder for Langdon and a 4th rounder. 

Package our 2 3rd rounders for a 2nd rounder.

Trade out a Bradshaw, Viney or track for a late 1st rounder (package with change if needed), on forward that for a Himmelberg or Finlayson.

In: Anderson, Young, Himmelberg, Langdon 2nd rounder, 4th rounder

Out: 2019 1st pick, 2020 1st pick, 2 3rd rounders, one of Brayshaw/Viney or Track.

P

Disclaimer: People are going to try to poke holes in this and there probably are some however this is more to demonstrate the type of aggressive off-season we need to have to get back on track.

 

Like apocalypse now , I do love the smell of napalm in the evening 

trade brayshaw

also turn the thumbnail screws on oliver

i do love these threads after a loss

45 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

We could debate this back and forth forever. The key point is that we did not have to pay Adelaide’s ambit asking price for Lever because we had the whip hand in negotiations. He was out of contract! To cave in on day two of trade week the way we did was an absolute disgrace. Weak, overly generous, amateur hour trading.

Played for the suckers we are.

As we have ALWAYS DONE!


1 hour ago, Moonshadow said:

So you want us to use picks no 6, 5 and 1 in this year's draft? Brilliant!

I'll go one better. Lets use picks 1-10.

Small problem: how do we get them?

1967 rang, they want their LSD back.

You’re totally missing his point which was that he simply named some first year draft picks that haven’t taken 4 years to develop & contribute. 

7 months after PJ leaves, Supporters are suggesting another Rebuild

 

only at The MFC....

 

LEADERSHIP.......

I can think of three more important things than a list rebuild that we need to do going into 2020:

  1. Change/tweak the gameplan - less playing on, fewer handpasses, more kick-mark, feeding into better connection between the midfielders and forwards
  2. Fitness - full overhaul needed here. Too many players stuck in rehab too long, too many injuries, not enough two-way running, too many players failing to develop physically
  3. Leadership - Viney/Jones need to be removed from captaincy and it needs to be given to Gawn. 

We need to make some list changes too of course, but we don't need the drastic changes that some on here suggest.

I don't agree that we stand to benefit by trading out someone like Brayshaw or Petracca. We'll get a top 5 pick and a second rounder in the 20-25 range. Do our homework, take those to the draft, and bring in two quality top-25 draft picks. 

 
2 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Yes. Even worse is his strike rate beyond the first round. It's just terrible. Charlie Spargo? FMD. In what universe does a recruiter believe he'll become an AFL player. 

Weideman over Curnow was the last straw for me. I mean an effing disgrace. They guy should be cleaning out his desk tomorrow morning. Had a gutful of the incompetence.

 

Spargo can't get a kick at Casey. Ridiculous that an AFL recruiter would spend a second round pick on a 172cm bloke who can't compete. Taylor has a lot to answer for.

4 hours ago, olisik said:

Our midfield, wings and Forward line are not AFL standard. We can’t hit handpasses, our mids don’t defend, our key forwards don’t even take shots at goals when inside 50. 

We need to look to trade out some players to get ourself back into the draft. For the right offer I feel OMac, Hunt, Viney, Brayshaw, Trac, Tmac and Weeds should be in consideration to help us reset our list and team balance and fill these gaps.

We arnt going to get close to a premiership with this list

No chance of winning a flag with this list. Can’t believe we have had the 2nd most inside 50s this year. The entries have been deplorable, in fact the skill level overall is diabolical. 


  • Author
6 minutes ago, Nelo said:

No chance of winning a flag with this list. Can’t believe we have had the 2nd most inside 50s this year. The entries have been deplorable, in fact the skill level overall is diabolical. 

Eyebrows were raised when Sparrow was picked so early in last years draft. Especially since we traded up for that specific pick, only to take a player who would’ve gone later anyway...

3 hours ago, olisik said:

Jayden Stephenson, Connor Rozee and Sam Walsh say hi. Plenty of recent players who have been drafted who eclipse our players. 

Carlton's list of first-rounders waves back.

No point bringing in top-tier talent when they go into a system that can't support them.

Fixing the internal workings of the club should be our highest priority. By all means, go to the draft with our current selections, but a complete overhaul is ludicrous.

6 minutes ago, olisik said:

Eyebrows were raised when Sparrow was picked so early in last years draft. Especially since we traded up for that specific pick, only to take a player who would’ve gone later anyway...

another slow inside mid.....

53 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I can think of three more important things than a list rebuild that we need to do going into 2020:

  1. Change/tweak the gameplan - less playing on, fewer handpasses, more kick-mark, feeding into better connection between the midfielders and forwards
  2. Fitness - full overhaul needed here. Too many players stuck in rehab too long, too many injuries, not enough two-way running, too many players failing to develop physically
  3. Leadership - Viney/Jones need to be removed from captaincy and it needs to be given to Gawn. 

We need to make some list changes too of course, but we don't need the drastic changes that some on here suggest.

I don't agree that we stand to benefit by trading out someone like Brayshaw or Petracca. We'll get a top 5 pick and a second rounder in the 20-25 range. Do our homework, take those to the draft, and bring in two quality top-25 draft picks. 

Too conservative. This club needs to get aggressive and make some tough calls.

Petracca is first on the block for mine. Get a 10 - 20 pick for him while we still can.

4 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Too conservative. This club needs to get aggressive and make some tough calls.

Petracca is first on the block for mine. Get a 10 - 20 pick for him while we still can.

Probably our only effective forward...

You really know your football 'Matsuo'.


1 minute ago, rjay said:

Probably our only effective forward...

You really know your football 'Matsuo'.

I'm not saying he's a terrible player. I still think we'll get a decent pick for him. 10 - 20.

But I firmly believe he won't be the player many want him to be. Too enigmatic. Too many flaws with his kicking.

Hard calls need to be made.

 

 

players currently rumoured to be on the move / not getting a game / in and out of seniors and magoos for these clubs:

adelaide - bryce gibbs, cam ellis-yolmen (free agent), alex keath, reilly o'brien, riley knight, josh jenkins, darcy fogarty
brisbane - lewis taylor
carlton - matthew kennedy, jack silvagni
collingwood - jamie elliott (free agent?), brayden sier (back in the team now), rupert wills
essendon - darcy parish, dylan clarke
fremantle - the hill brothers (if you believe the rumours), ed langdon
gc17 - tom nicholls, sam day
geelong - nakia cockatoo, quinton narkle, charlie constable (can't see them letting him go)
gw$ - stephen coniglio (free agent), jonno patton, isaac cumming
hawks - isaac smith
us (currency) - gus brayshaw, trac, anb, hunt, o mac
north melbourne - paul ahern, ed vickers-wills, nathan hrovat, taylor garner
port - paddy ryder, sam powell-pepper, karl amon (tried to get back to victoria last year), joe atley
richmond - jack higgins, shai bolton, connor menadue, oleg markov, jacob townsend
st. kilda - jack newnes, hunter clark, jack steven, david armitage 
sydney - tom papley, zak jones, nick smith, ben ronke
western bulldogs - toby mclean, lin jong

now, as @DeeSpencer said, we ain't gonna get anything for the latter three players on our presumed currency list - a third round pick at best

of that lot of names from other clubs, the ones that immediately stick out as adding something to us would by lead by coniglio, the hill brothers, langdon, higgins, zak jones, papley, ronke, and mclean

we really need to grab a decent free agent at some point; every club seems to have done it but us and the franchises; would love to be in the conversation for coniglio, but it seems unlikely

i'd rule coniglio and the hill bros. out from the get go (they'll all stay), and the same for higgins and papley - the talk seems to have dialled off on the latter leaving sydney, but zak jones remains a topic of conversation

the question is if we were to target the likes of:

  • lewis taylor
  • ed langdon
  • sam day
  • joe atley
  • zak jones
  • toby mclean

how on earth do you get them all in?

ed langdon and zak jones are awkward cos they're probably worth more than our second rounder, and mclean might be worth around about that but the likes of taylor, day, and atley should be available at a cheaper rate you'd hope

our list doesn't need a rebuild; it needs a constant tinker

It’s not time for a rebuild but it’s definitely time for a harsh analysis of where certain players are at and where we thought they would be. I keep saying it in different threads but 2019 is still an opportunity to build something for 2020 and that has to start with playing things smart and potentially ruthless. 

I think the bigger issue lies with our gameplan and less the players executing it. When the plan works it’s breathtaking and exciting but when it fails it backfired on us horrifically. There surely has to be a middle ground in there that allows for patience before pulling the trigger at the right time. I feel like someone like Salem understands and does this more than anyone else. He looks for the lateral movement kick that can free someone up further afield rather than going for the long 1 on 1 to a bad position and to a guy that doesn’t actually have anyone to go to even if he wins it. 

Too often we get a mark near the center and immediately handball to a runner going past, they immediately get pressured into either a long no look bomb or get caught (which happened a lot v Lions). 

Before we start a player rebuild, we should be looking at a game style rebuild. 

Yay a rebuild. Let’s wait another 5 years to see the same results of young players in and stay mid - bottom table.

And we will draft all those players for the trend of the game that will have changed by the time we have those players ready and we will still be 3 years behind other teams.

8 hours ago, Elegt said:

another slow inside mid.....

Inside mid yes, slow? No. Speed and power are his greatest strengths.


9 hours ago, goodwindees said:

You’re totally missing his point which was that he simply named some first year draft picks that haven’t taken 4 years to develop & contribute. 

And my point is that we don't and won't have those picks. We will have one high pick this year. Oliver was a hit from year one, was he not? As was Brayshaw.

5 hours ago, Pates said:

It’s not time for a rebuild but it’s definitely time for a harsh analysis of where certain players are at and where we thought they would be. I keep saying it in different threads but 2019 is still an opportunity to build something for 2020 and that has to start with playing things smart and potentially ruthless. 

I think the bigger issue lies with our gameplan and less the players executing it. When the plan works it’s breathtaking and exciting but when it fails it backfired on us horrifically. There surely has to be a middle ground in there that allows for patience before pulling the trigger at the right time. I feel like someone like Salem understands and does this more than anyone else. He looks for the lateral movement kick that can free someone up further afield rather than going for the long 1 on 1 to a bad position and to a guy that doesn’t actually have anyone to go to even if he wins it. 

Too often we get a mark near the center and immediately handball to a runner going past, they immediately get pressured into either a long no look bomb or get caught (which happened a lot v Lions). 

Before we start a player rebuild, we should be looking at a game style rebuild. 

I'm with you Pates!!

The coach appears to me to dumb and stubborn 

The worst possible traits combination. The Game plan isn't working. The players can't  or won't play it at an acceptable standard. The player group appears to be frustrated at being made to play it.

The team tries hard, plays on at all times, takes risks, tackles hard and runs back in defense. Come 3/4 time they are flogged and concede easy goals

Change the game plan and lets see the obvious quality of our current list on display.

Carlton likely to go past us next week.

9 hours ago, olisik said:

Eyebrows were raised when Sparrow was picked so early in last years draft. Especially since we traded up for that specific pick, only to take a player who would’ve gone later anyway...

Rubbish.

More bull [censored] made up by posters to suit their agenda.

If you happened to watch some of the 'inside' footage from draft night you would've seen a couple of clubs mention him. Carlton were talking about him around the spot they took Stocker.

 
2 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

Yay a rebuild. Let’s wait another 5 years to see the same results of young players in and stay mid - bottom table.

And we will draft all those players for the trend of the game that will have changed by the time we have those players ready and we will still be 3 years behind other teams.

And the same nuffies that start these kind of threads will start one in 5 years time saying we need a big clean out because these draftees haven't worked out also ?

  • Author
10 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Rubbish.

More bull [censored] made up by posters to suit their agenda.

If you happened to watch some of the 'inside' footage from draft night you would've seen a couple of clubs mention him. Carlton were talking about him around the spot they took Stocker.

Mate find my one phantom draft from 2018 that had him in top 30. Most had him around the below. Gotta love that he has a - next to kicking efficiency and decision making as well.

Exactly what we needed to trade up the draft for...

05793762-2A60-4580-B71E-7A7D74B9344C.jpeg

Edited by olisik


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Thumb Down
      • Haha
    • 489 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Haha
      • Like
    • 178 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 04

    Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

    • 273 replies
    Demonland